The Elves and the Shoemakers Learning Resource - Theatre ...

Main Activity
Ask the children to re-tell the story of The Elves and the Shoemakers from the performance they saw.
Post Performance Discussion Topics
1. Where does the story take place?
2. Who are the characters?
3. Which is your favourite character and why?
4. What are the problems the characters face?
Divide the class into groups of five - each group has to decide who will play the part of the old man, the
old woman, two elves and a customer. Explain to the children that you are going to re-tell the story of The
Elves and the Shoemakers - synopsis provided - and you want the children to act out what happens as
you tell the story.
Explain that after you have done this once - which is a practice for everyone - then each group will have a
chance to act their version to the rest of the class.
Practice and Performances
Plenary: Explore the children’s thinking with these questions
1. What was so special about the pair of shoes made from the shoemaker’s last piece of leather?
2. What did the customer do when he found that the shoes fit so well?
3. What did the shoemaker and his wife buy with the money made from the sale of the shoes?
4. What did the shoemaker and his wife decide to do for the elves? Why?
Ask the children to think of a person who has helped them a lot in their life. Ask them to think what they
have done or could do for this person.
Ask the children to remember their ideas to share at the next class circletime.
Success Criteria
5. How do they solve these problems?
6. How does the story end?
7. What lesson does this story teach you?
• Children explored themes of helping one another, sharing and caring.
• Children discussed and developed their understanding about making positive choices in the
ways they relate to other people.
Follow Up
Class Circletime: Remind the children about how the elves helped the shoemaker and his wife.
Ask the children as you go round the circle to say who they know who has helped them a lot in their
life and how they have helped. Then go round the circle again and ask the children to say what they
have done or could do to show their thanks for the help they have been given.
Activity: Provide the children with a piece of card folded and ask them to write inside it a thank you
note to their chosen special person for the help they have given, and to decorate the front cover.
Use additional adults to note children’s ideas where writing is pre-emergent or needs mediating.
6